


Top of the World

by Elmer_s_s0cks



Category: Newsies - All Media Types
Genre: Cute, Fluff, Funny, M/M, Modern AU, Music, Soulmate AU, relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-04-18 00:15:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14200737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elmer_s_s0cks/pseuds/Elmer_s_s0cks
Summary: (A late birthday present for a cool friend of mine, chasdepeval, from a her lovely friend, radassmabbits; as she requested, a soulmate ralbert fic for chasdepeval. Your wish is my command :) )Soulmates get songs stuck in their head when their other half is listening or singing them.Racetrack Higgins loves musicals; but his soulmate wishes he somehow had better taste.





	Top of the World

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chasdepeval](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chasdepeval/gifts).



College was supposed to be the chance to express yourself, and find new things to believe in. Like soulmates. And when Race hadn’t found that there, he continued to wallow into adulthood.  
Now getting his first gig on Broadway in Tuck Everlasting; he was basking in life. But he still felt that empty pit.

Racetrack sighed as he sucked on the straw of his milkshake.

“What’s got you so down?” Spot asked as he wiped down the counter.  
He leant against it, glancing at Racetrack briefly before taking a sip from his own milkshake.  
Perks of working at the coffee shop, he got discounts on the drinks.

“Do you believe in soulmates? Well, obviously you do because you and Elmer are together.” Race said.  
It was getting tiresome for him to fall for different people, only to have them turn out to not be ‘the one’.

That was the thing, it was extremely hard to find your soulmate because, all you had to go on was a tune in your head.  
For Racetrack, he had been hearing punk rock bands over and over again for most of his life.

“Yeah, but I only knew it was true when I kept hearing Hamilton on repeat because Elmer is playing John Laurens on Broadway.”  
Spot replied.  
“Why’d you ask?”

“It’s just...I’m beginning to think I don’t have a soulmate. Like, surely I would have found them by now.” Race went back to moping. Had he ever really stopped?

Spot rolled his eyes;  
“There are better places to dig for sympathy, Racer. Such as, why don’t you go to Elmer and complain to him? Pretty sure he’ll give you more sympathy than me.”

Race glared at him, standing up and placing some money onto the counter.

“Oooo money, money, money; that ain’t mine.” Spot scraped the coins into his palm and placed them into the cash register.

“You know, you should pay Elmer for how much of my shit you dump on him”  
Racetrack said.

“Mmm yeah, but that would be empty income; since we live together. Now, I’m basically giving you permission to go to my house and bug my boyfriend, because you’re driving me insane.”  
Spot whacked Racetrack with the dish rag he was holding, until Race pouted and left.

He shook his head; he really did hope Race found his soulmate soon, otherwise he’d probably have to kill him to get away from his whiny ass.  
_____________________________________________

“Blonde guy?”

“No.”

“Green eyes?”

“No.”

“Ooo, what about this guy? He’s pretty hot!”

Racetrack leaned over to look at Elmer’s phone.  
“Nope.”  
He sighed and buried himself deeper into the couch.

The two of them were searching through random dating apps and websites for a match. It had been Elmer’s idea ever since Racetrack had started to mope around about not finding his soulmate yet.

“What about him? He looks okay.”  
Elmer showed Race his phone, looking hopeful, but frowned when Race just shook his head.  
“Raceeeerrr, give it a chance. I know it sucks, but not everyone ever finds their soulmates. Your parents aren’t soulmates, and they had you.”  
Elmer smiled at him.

“That just means that I’m destined to never find em.” Race said.  
He felt guilty when Elmer sighed and locked his phone, giving up on the search.

“Well, you obviously have one, because all you ever complain about is hearing punk rock all the time...or whatever.”  
Elmer stood up and went to the kitchen, grabbing a drink of some water and sipping it.

“Oh my god, don’t even get me started! All I’ve been hearing are the same to Panic! At the Disco songs, over and over and over again.” Race laid down on the couch and huffed out a sigh.

He put his hands to his ears, daring to block out the music he was currently hearing; but it didn’t work. He felt love sick , but his could that be possible?

“Elmeeerr! Oh my god!”

Race turned around and almost bumped into the newcomer.

Elmer rounded the kitchen corner, meeting the red-haired boy in the hall way.  
“Why do you all just come into my house? I’ve gotta tell Spot to get better locks.” He said.

“Aaawww, Elly~ you love having me around”

“Yeah, sure I do, Albert”

They both walked back into the kitchen, leaving Race stood out in the hallway.  
The name had struck something in him, leaving a flourish of airy feelings and nostalgia.  
The music in his ears had stopped ringing, and he was sort of thankful; but now he felt empty.  
_____________________________________________

“Any look on the soulmate front?” Elmer asked whilst pouring out some coffee.

“Nooooo! It’s so annoying! All I keep hearing are musicals!” Albert swung his legs back and forth as he was sat at the kitchen table.  
“Now I know how Spot felt before he found you.”

Racetrack walked into the kitchen, feeling slightly shaken and in a haze.

“You want some coffee, Racer?” Elmer asked, shaking the container.

“Um, no thanks. I think I’ll leave Spot to the coffee making” Race joked, and he only just missed being hit when Elmer threw a towel his way.

Albert leaned back on his chair, seemingly ignoring Racetrack as he rubbed at his temples.  
“You’re so lucky, El. I mean, you got stuck with Spot who’s like, a little grouchy, but you’re happy so...”

Elmer just rolled his eyes.  
“Forget I asked. Okay, you two, talk out all of your woes. I’m going for a shower.”  
And he left the kitchen for the safety of a place without moping guys.

“Hey” Race greeted awkwardly.

Albert stood up and thought for a moment.  
“Heya!” He smiled so wide that Race thought his heart would give out right there.  
“I’m Albert.”

“Racetrack”  
He held out his hand for the red-head to shake, and he almost jumped out of his skin at the satisfying jolt he felt when their hands met.  
What was this?  
“So uh...you don’t like musicals?” Race asked.

“Well, I don’t mind em. But when I keep hearing the same one on repeat all the time, it’s kind of draining. You?”  
Albert sat back down, taking a sip of his coffee.

“I love musicals. I’m in one right now!” Race sat down too, taking to the conversation like a duck to water.

“That’s so cool! El’s in one too! Hamilton, like wow, that’s so good! And you just He so proud too, Broadway i assume?” Albert asked.

“Yep! Out first performance is next week! I’m so excited! Have you seen Elmer perform? He’s so good!”  
Race was talking at a mile a minute, causing Albert’s head to spin.

“You talk a lot, it’s...cute” Albert blushes slightly when he said that, and he laughed at the bashful look on Race’s face.

Racetrack cleared his throat, leaning back in his chair slightly.  
“So...what musical do you keep hearing on repeat?” He teased.

Albert rubbed at the back of his neck.  
“I don’t know what it’s called. I google the lyrics all the time, but get no result. All I know is that there’s a song that has to be called ‘Top of the World’ because I swear that’s all it says.”

Racetrack couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The fact that Albert didn’t get any results when he googled the lyrics, just that alone had been suspicious; but when Albert had spoken about that one song, Race couldn’t help but feel a little hopeful.

Albert looked up, noticing how Racetrack was lost in thought. He admired the freckles that traced down his face, and the eyes that lit up the room; even if he was the only one there to witness it at the moment.  
He cleared his throat.  
“So...what do you hear all the time? Is your soulmate as persistent as mine?”

“Well, for starters, I know the bands they keep listening to. And recently, it’s been a lot of Panic! At the Disco....like, the same songs on repeat.” Race said.

“I love that band! They recently had new music out and it’s so so so so good!”  
Albert gushed about his interests, not even stopping to think what it could mean.

Meanwhile, Racetrack listened intently, not skipping out on a single beat of Albert’s enthusiasm. He almost forgot what he had been listening for, but his mind was still whiring intensely, picking up on all the information that pointed to what Race wanted most.

Before he could ask the most important question, Spot walked in, taking off his jacket and placing it on one of the chairs.

“As much as I’d love to keep hearing this wonderful chat, me and Elmer have dinner plans...so if you two could like, scram, that would be great.” Spot said dryly, smirking when the other two looked at him in surprise.  
But he frowned when their expressions turned to smirks.

“Aww~ It’s date night!” Albert teased, tapping Spot’s shoulder on the way out, and looking back to make sure hat Racetrack was following him.  
They laughed on their way out, remembering Spot’s flushed face and stammering; he wasn’t an actual asshole, and both Albert and Race knew that. He was a good guy for Elmer because, they were soulmates.  
_____________________________________________

Racetrack didn’t know how he had found himself here, but he didn’t regret it.  
He was sat on nextdoor’s couch; next door being Albert’s house.  
How hadn’t he known that Albert lived next door to two of his closest friends? Either that, or Elmer had been holding out on him about all of the hot guys in his and Spot’s apartment block.

“So anyway, then the guy basically pushed me out of the way. And that’s how I got this scar.” Albert finished his story, letting his leg linger on the coffee table so Racetrack could see the almighty scar.

“From a skateboarding injury?” Race asked.

“Yep” Albert nodded his head in confirmation.

The two of them had been drinking for about two hours now, already becoming tipsy, and pretty much drunk.  
Racetrack felt light headed and carefree, wanting to hear all of Albert’s life stories.  
He suddenly had a wild thought.

“Albert, Al” he mumbled, grabbing Albert’s shoulders so he’d pay close attention to him.  
“I have a theory, and I do not yet know if you’re gonna like it. I hope you like it”  
His drunk ramblings were getting the better of him.

“What is it?” Albert asked, sobering up just a little at the tone of Race’s voice.

“You said you keep hearing this music on repeat. And I, I know the song you were talking about...cause like, I sing it; aaaaaalll the time.”  
Race leaned his head against Albert as he shifted slightly.  
“And like, the soundtrack isn’t out yet because we haven’t made it. But like, you said you love that band, and it’s all I hear, and-“

Racetrack gasped in surprise when Albert kissed him, their lips fitting together perfectly and their breathing in sync.  
He just looked as Albert pulled away.

“You think we’re soulmates?” Albert wiped a piece of stray hair from Race’s forehead.  
“I think so too”

The mood lifted significantly, both of them giggled drunkenly as they kissed again, it was sloppy in their sunken state, but their hands fit perfectly, and their minds fit perfectly, and their souls....they fit perfectly.

After a while, they both fell asleep.  
Racetrack woke up a little while later, the position he had been laying in becoming uncomfortable.  
He sat up and blushed when he realised he was laying on a shirtless Albert, and he watched his chest ride and fall, suddenly feeling giddy all over again.

He had to tell Elmer!

_____________________________________________

  
“Elmer!” Racetrack yelled, unlocking the door with the spare key he had been given.  
He ran to the bedroom, busting open the door.

“Shit!” Spot yelled, and he sat up straight in bed, his hair tousled everywhere.  
Elmer hadn’t heard the commotion, and was still asleep, still laid in Spot’s arm.

“Oops, sorry” Racetrack said sheepishly.

“Why the fuck Racetrack!? It’s the middle of the night!” Spot growled out.

“I gotta tell Elmer something important! I mean, you can hear too, but like you said, you don’t care”  
Race laughed when Spot glared at him.

“Elmer” Spot elbowed his boyfriend slightly.  
“Elly....your best friend is here”  
All the while Spot still glared at Race.

“Mmm, What?” Elmer mumbled and stirred slightly, opening his eyes and looking at Spot.  
“If you keep calling your dick my best friend, then we’re gonna have issues”

Spot elbowed him harder and nodded his head in Race’s direction.

“Oh shit! Race!” Elmer practically shrieked.  
He subconsciously reached under the covers; yep, not naked.  
“What’s the matter?”

Race looked at his two friends suspiciously.  
“I can go, if you guys were like-“

“Oh please, we already did that. Now what do you want?” Spot said, he hid his face from view, clearly annoyed at being disturbed.  
Elmer just patted his chest and Spot grabbed his hand to hold it.

Racetrack’s cheeks flushed, suddenly feeling awkward; but found it funny how Spot had reacted to his late night visit.

“Oh, right! Elmer!” Race leaped onto the bed, shuffling in between the two, and he laughed when Spot groaned and rolled as far away from Race as he could.  
“I found my soulmate!”

Elmer sat up with Race, and they both grinned to widely; and Spot contributed by sending a thumbs up before collapsing his arm back down.

“Who! Who? Do I know him!?” Elmer bounced with excitement.

“Albert!” Race said.

“Our neighbour!? This entire time!?” Elmer laughed at that, and Racetrack joined in; the sighs of relief.

“Great, now that we’ve all shared this exciting information, I’d very much like to go back to sleep now”  
Spot shoved Race aside and wrapped his arms around Elmer’s waist, burying himself further into the pillows.

Despite his efforts, Elmer and Racetrack continued to talk the rest of the night, sharing stories and intentionally annoying Spot by laughing a lot.  
But Spot didn’t mind. If Race was happy, then he was happy; because hey, he wasn’t always an asshole.

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve never written for ralbert before, so I hope I have done it justice :)


End file.
